Brett
vaguely ordered but sort-of not)
- Clientele “strange geometry” merge
- Canyon Country “there’s a forest in the fire” attack 9
- Sufjan Stevens “come on feel the illinoise” asthmatic kitty
- Destroyer “notorious lightning and other works” merge
- Great Lakes Swimmers “great lake swimmer” misra
- Fiona Apple “extraordinary machine” epic
- Andrew Bird “mysterious production of eggs” righteous babe
- Remote viewer “let your heart draw the line” city centre
- New Pornographers “twin cinema” matador
- The Occasional Keepers “beauty of the empty vessel” ltm
- Love as Laughter “laughter’s fifth” subpop
- Kallikak Family “May 23rd, 2007” tell-all
- Various Artists “childish music” staubgold
- Akron/ Family “Akron/ Family” young god
- White Stripes “get behind me satan” v2
- Colleen “golden morning breaks” leaf
- Lucksmiths “warmer corners” matinee
- Keren Ann “nolita” blue note
- Edan “beauty & beat” lewis
- A Sides “hello hello” prison jazz
- Animal Collective “feels” fat cat
- Nils Okland “bris” rune grammofon
- Devendra Banhart “cripple crow” xl
- Yann Tiersen and Shannon Wright “yann tiersen and shannon wright” ici d’ailleurs
- Liam Singer “the empty heart of the chameleon” tell-all
- Peggy Honeywell “faint humms” galaxia7
- Parker and Lily “lows lows” warm electronic
- M.I.A. “arular” xl
- Fruit Bats “spelled in bones” subpop
- catsinsinks.com
Stephen
(in no order).
Six Organs of Admittance–School Of The Flower (Plus the ozone tearing live show at Empty Bottle).
Henry Grimes/Fred Anderson/Marshall Allen–Hothouse March 11.
Sunn O)))–Black One
We Jam Econo: The Story Of The Minutemen
Mike Jones–Still Tippin’ 12″
Finally Getting to See SLINT perform “Washer” while the images of snow flakes fell around the room.
Konono No. 1–Congotronics & the split w/ Dead C.
Tony Conrad–Behind a White Sheet, 11/3/05 Empty Bottle
Lightning Bolt–Hypermagic Mountain
Earth–Hex: Or Printing In The Infernal Method
Amerie–One Thing 12″
High On Fire–Blessed Black Wings
Magik Markers–I Trust My Guitar, Etc.
Boduf Songs–S/T
Gang Gang Dance–God’s Money
A-Frames–Black Forest
Danger Doom–Mouse & Mask (plus the inkling that the
Doom/Ghostface collaborations might be the best thing to happen to rap since “36 Chambers”)
4 Shellac Shows In Chicago within the Course of a Month!
The Rediscovery of the Brazillian Post-Punk Scene (“Sexual Life Of The Savages” compilation/ As Mercenarias anthology)
Whitehouse–11/5/05 Empty Bottle
The Re-Opening of Hot Dougs.
Ciara–Oh 12″
Boredoms–Logan Square Auditorium 5/21/05
Oren Ambrachi–Grapes From The Estate.
Scharpling & Wurster–Hippie Justice//Patton Oswalt-222′ (tie)
Moondog–The Viking of Sixth Avenue
fm3’s Buddah Machine
Oneida–The Wedding Album
Jan Jelinek–Kosmischer Pitch.
Taking Pictures–Unreleased S/T Album
Jesu–Jesu
Lau Nau–Kutarha
Dinosaur Jr. in all their slaying reunited glory
v/a- Tropicalia! Comp. on Soul Jazz
The Idea of the South, whilst trapped in the North.
Dave:
top 10 of 2005, no order.
Curl Up and Die – the one above all, the end of all that is
Between the Buried and Me – alaska
Defleshed – reclaim the beat
Slim Thug – already platinum
the Dream Is Dead – hail the new pawn
Misery Index – dissent
Clipse – we got it for cheap vol. 1 and 2 mixtapes
R. Kelly – trapped in the closet, all chapters
A Life Once Lost – hunter
Crowbar – life’s blood for the downtrodden
top 6 worst things about 2005
- still no new Clipse record
- Defleshed breaking up
- RIP dimebag
- only two EP’s, two LP’s, and one live record from Bright Eyes
- Judas Priest live
- Big L still dead
Matt:
as mercenarias “beginning of the end of the world”
devendra banhart “cripple crow”
blut aus nord “work which transforms god”
comus “first utterance” reissue
dead meadow “feathers”
deathspell omega “kenose”
dungen reissues
dungen: best live band on the planet
edan “beauty & the beat”
elyse s/t reissue
enslaved “isa” (2004 release that bled into most of 2005 for me)
evens s/t
fuchsia s/t reissue
gris gris “for the season”
guided by voices “briefcase 2” abriged
roy harper
gary higgins “red hash”
randy holden “population II” vinyl reissue
jesu s/t
lurker of chalice
brian mcbride “when the detail lost its freedom”
kim jung mi “now” reissue
om “variations on a theme”
geraldo pino & the heart beats “afro soco soul live”
twilight
xasthur “nocturnal poisoning” vinyl reissue
witchcraft “firewood”
neil young “archive pathfinder” bootleg
MAGAS TOP 10 of 2005:
NEW:
QUINTRON & MISS PUSSYCAT: Swamp Tech/Electric Swamp (Tigerbeat6)
KAP BAMBINO: Neutral EP (Wwilko)
GENDERS: There’s Something In the Treats (Tigerbeat6)
BLACK DICE: Broken Ear Record (DFA/Astralwerks)
ADULT.: Gimmie Trouble (Thrill Jockey)
GD LUXXE: Make (Tigerbeat6)
ELECTRONICAT: Voodoo Man (Disko B)
CANDEE HANK: Brandy Cramps (Wwilko)
SOUNDS OF THE INDIAN SNAKE CHARMER (Hanson)
EASY ACTION: Friends of Rock And Roll (Reptilian)
OLD:
VA: NO NEW YORK (Lilith)
CELTIC FROST: Morbid Tales (Earmark)
CELTIC FROST: To Mega Therion (Earmark)
ENNIO MORRICONE: Crime & Dissonance (Ipecac)
GEORGE BRIGMAN: Jungle Rot (Bona Fide)
GEORGE BRIGMAN: I Can Hear the Ants Dancin’ (Bona Fide)
STOOGES: Funhouse (Rhino)
STOOGES: Stooges (Rhino)
ENNIO MORRICONE: Crime & Dissonance (Ipecac)
VA: Big Gundown: Reggae Inspired by Spaghetti Westerns (Earmark)
Taylor:
top ten albums….. in no particular order
Cass Mccombs “Prefection'” (Monitor)
Japanther “Master of Pigeons” (Menlopar)
Low “Great Destroyer” (Sub Pop)
Animal Collective “Feels” (Fat Cat)
The Accused “Oh Martha” (Condar)
Celebration “S/T” (4AD)
Dead Science “Frost Giant” (Absolutely Kosher)
Dead Meadow “Feathers” (Matador)
Devendra Banhart “Cripple Crow” (XL)
Nine Inch Nails “With Teeth” (Nothing)
top ten shows….. also in no particular order
Wives/ This Moment in Black History/ Business Lady @ Cal’s
Battletorn/ Wolf & Cub/ Raise the Red Lantern @ Needle House
Slint @ Park West
Mastodon/ Sweet Cobra @ Bottom Lounge
Kylesa/ Coliseum/ Torche @ Beat Kitchen
Danzig/ Mortiis @ HOB
Selfish/ Hellshock @ Ice Factory
Carbonas/ Pedestrians @ Beat Kitchen
Navies/ Scalpels/ Scalpers/ Ten Ton @ Needle House
Dungen @ the Bottle
LUX–
In No particular order things of 2005:
Boris Sun Baked Snow Cave
White Rock ‘Tar Pit’
Double Leopards ‘Out of one….’
Robert Wyatt & Friends live 1974
Lurker Of Chalice S/T
Gris Gris ‘For the Season’
Up Tight ‘W/ Makoto’
Tar Pet ‘Artist revealed is Taralie Dawn’
Endless Boogie ‘White’
Vashti Bunyan ‘Lookaftering’
Skullflower ‘Orange Canyon Mind’
Jon:
Lurker of Chalice – S/T
Sunn O))) – Black One
King Kong – directed by Peter Jackson
Curb Your Enthusiasm – Season 4 DVD
Thundercats – Season 1 DVD
Necrophagist – Epitaph
Animal Collective – Feels
Slint reunion
Kim:
a not-in-order-at-all list of releases that i can remember enjoying this year
books – lost and safe
lou barlow – emoh
jesu – jesu
marc hellner – marriages
growing – his return
badgerlore – stories for owls
akron/family – akron/family
brian mcbride – when the detail lost its freedom
oneida- the wedding
earth – hex: or the printing in the infernal method
lichens – psychic nature of being
six organs of admittance – school of the flower
moondog – viking of sixth avenue (reissue)
gary higgins – red hash (reissue)
danger doom – mouse and the mask
cult cargo: belize city boil up – various artists
Kip’s best of 2005 in no specific order with the exception of pick #1
- Meshuggah “Catch Thirty Thr33”
- Antony & the Johnsons “I am a Bird Now”
- Low “The Great Destroyer”
- Books “Lost & Safe”
- Danger Doom “The Mouse & The Mask”
- Pit Er Pat “Shakey”
- Common “Be”
- Four Tet “Everything Ecstatic”
- Dungen -reissues
Best Video Games of 2005
- GOD OF WAR
- We Love Katamari
Highlights of 2005
- Hockey…bout fuckin time
- Slint -Parkwest
- Low -Metro
Best TV
Arrested Development
Extras
The Shield
Curb Your Enthusiasm
Six Feet Under
Chris W.
TOP 15 INDIES of 2005 (alphabetically)
Antony & the Johnsons “I Am a Bird Now”
Bochum Welt “Elan”
Books “Lost & Safe”
Brian Eno “Another Day On Earth”
Espers “The Weed Tree”
Field Music “s/t”
Flotation Toy Warning “Bluffer’s Guide to the Flight Deck”
Harold Budd & Robin Guthrie “Mysterious Skin (soundtrack)”
Jóhann Jóhannsson “Dis (soundtrack)”
Lump200 “Dizzyland”
Michael Andrews “Me and You and Everyone We Know (soundtrack)”
Mugison “Mugimama, Is this Monkey Music?”
Porn Sword Tobacco “Explains Freedom”
Seu Jorge “Life Aquatic Studio Sessions”
Songs of Green Pheasant “s/t”
TOP 15 HIP HOP of 2005 (alphabetically)
Common “Be”
Cool Calm Pete “Lost”
Danger Doom “Mouse and the Mask”
Dwight Trible & the Life Force Trio “Love Is the Answer”
Edan “Beauty & the Beat”
Emanon “Waiting Room”
Fatlip “The Loneliest Punk”
Kanye West “Late Registration”
Koushik “Be With”
Little Brother “The Minstrel Show”
One.Be.Lo “S.O.N.O.G.R.A.M.”
Percy Miracles aka Phonte “The Ladies Champ EP”
Platinum Pied Pipers “Triple P”
R. Kelly “TP.3 Reloaded”
Steve Spacek “Space Shift”
honorable mention: all releases by SA-RA CREATIVE PARTNERS
12″ Single of the year: Aloe Blacc “Want Me”
Jason:
10 good albums
- David Axelrod “The Edge: 1966-1970” (EMI)
- Various Artists “Night Train to Nashville” Vol.1&2 1945-1970 (Lost Highway)
- Negativland “No Business” (Seeland)
- Daniel Lanois “Belladonna” (Anti)
- Ennio Morricone “Crime and Dissonance” (Ipecac)
- Steve Reid “Spirit Walk” (Soul Jazz)
- Chris Connelly “Live” (Self)
- Moondog “Viking of 6th Avenue .” (Honest Jons)
- Tristeza “a colores” (Good Looking)
10.Team America “Soundtrack” (Warner)
Cortland:
Scharpling & Wurster- Hippy Justice
Primeridian- All Day NIghter
V.A.- Caltone Special
Konono No. 1- Congotronics
Revolutionaries- Earthquake Dub
Brian McBride- When The Detail Lost Its Freedom
Lichens -Psychic Nature Of Being
Ennio Morricone – Crime & Dissonance
V.A. -Midwest Funk
J.C. Davis -New Day
Smog- A River Aint Too Much To Love
V.A.- Loves A Real Thing
Marc Hellner- Marriages
Thelonious Monk & John Coltrane at Carnagie Hall
Six Organs Of Admittance- School of the Flower
Holli
In no particular order…
andrew bird – mysterious production of eggs
sharon jones & the dap kings – naturally
super furry animals – lovekraft
elbow – leaders of the free world
common – be
devendra banhart – cripple crow
books – lost & safe
lightning bolt – hyper magic mountain
gary higgins – red hash (reissue)
tim buckley – dream letter (i know it came out in 1990, but it’s my favorite album this year.
Bryan:
Albums of 1973 most played (by me) in 2005:
Stooges – Raw Power
Alice Cooper – Billion Dollar Babies
Blue Oyster Cult – Tyranny & Mutation
Roxy Music – For Your Pleasure
Roxy Music – Stranded
New York Dolls – New York Dolls
Mott the Hoople – Mott
Sweet – Sweet
Pink Fairies – Kings of Oblivion
Nazareth – Razamanaz
ZZ Top – Tres Hombres
Stevie Wonder – Innervisions
Todd Rundgren – A Wizard/A True Star
David Bowie – Alladin Sane
T.Rex – Tanx
Hawkwind – Space Ritual
Faces – Ooh La La
Led Zeppelin – Houses of the Holy
Daniel–
best record of 2005 that came out in 2004:
1a. dungen – “ta det lugnt”
top 10 of 2005:
- r. kelly – tp3 reloaded”
- fiery furnaces – “ep”
- sufjan stevens – “illinois “
- magnolia electric co. – “what comes after the blues”
- skygreen leopards – “life & love in sparrow’s meadow”
- mannequin men – “showbiz witch”
- witchcraft – “firewood”
- tegan & sara – “so jealous”
- of montreal – “the sunlandic twins”
- v/a – “the third unheard: connecticut hip-hop 1979-1983”
11-20 (in alphabetical order):
angels of light – “sing other people”
devendra banhart – “cripple crow”
crooked fingers – “dignity & shame”
fruit bats – “spelled in bones”
lungfish – “feral hymns”
paul mccartney – “chaos & creation in the backyard”
new black – “time attack”
pit er pat – “shakey”
ween – “shinola vol. 1”
wolf parade – “apologies to the queen mary
KEITH
in no particular order
All Night Fox-Howling Hex
Arrested Development-the television show
On Your Video 7″-Tyrades
Man Made-Teenage Fanclub
Shock of Being-Make Believe
Shinola-Ween
Dinosaur, You’re Living All Over Me & Bug (reissues)-Dinosaur Jr.
Celebration Castle- the Ponys
For the Season-Gris Gris
Such Triumph- The Narrator
The Electrifying Conclusion DVD-Guided By Voices
Evan:
- Has a Good Home -by- Final Fantasy
Owen Pallett is better known for the string arrangement contributions for the Arcade Fire and the Hidden Cameras. Creative control can lead to an amazing orchestral pop tracks that even topple the talented Andrew Bird. - Twin Cinema -by- The New Pornographers
Yeap, they had 14 more for us, they are beyond heavenly. Wtf. - The Wedding -by- Oneida
This ‘notorious’ album has people praising or bashing it.. The facts: I haven’t rocked harder to a stand alone hit as I do with “Lavender” Lastly, there is something for everyone in this collage of silk and filth. - Feels -by- Animal Collective
Why this was dubbed as their rock album is above me. Yeah kids it starts out pumped, and then ventures differently than “Sung Tongs” and it’s light-years beyond “Here Comes an Indian” but these critters are sonically consistent even on a more accessible plane. This indie-tribal sustenance gets my feels revved. - A River Ain’t Too Much to Love -by- Smog
Shadowed by the Supper’s masterpiece status. However country noir never sounded so goddamn perfect. - Lost & Safe -by- The Books
Man, this one took awhile to love. But now we are in a long term relationship, I’ve become a better listener.
(Btw: Tomlab is on fire!) - “Git” -by- Skeletons and The Girl-Faced Boys
Universal fusion is spice that Skeletons cooks my ears with. Mostly electronic, but this album can be sold at whole foods. You can own it too, if you can handle an automatic overdose of bizarre vibrant soul. - Arular -by- M.I.A.
Wtf is she telling me?
You know I never open the lyric book for Arular, but I sing along anyways, and like everyone else does; I’ve been dancing and singing to this all year long. - In Case We Die -by- Architecture in Helsinki
Silly things are adorable, refreshing, bombastic, splendid, feverish in a sassy way, outstanding, terrific, comforting,
up hailing to the community, easy-hearted, hard to criticize, wondrous, and globally quintessential. - The Sunset Tree AND Come, Come to the Sunset Tree -by- The Mountain Goats
Without a doubt, no other album this year was rightfully loved by the people in my life and me. From 18 year old helpless hipster siblings to 40+ year old breast cancer survivors, The Sunset Tree major mass appeal, and will never receive it. John Darnielle’s voice and lyrics doesn’t escape your head, it will leave you speechless, awake and with an exposed curetted soul. Seriously! THEN he releases a LP spin-off of the album in his traditional unrefined style, with equally essential b-sides.
Honorable Mentions:
Howling Hex – You Can’t Beat Tomorrow- front to back amazing, although I’ve only heard it once.
The Fruit Bats – Spelled in Bones- feel good album of the year, snag some vulva with this stuff.
Wolf Parade – Apologies to Queen Mary- this year’s Arcade Fire, yes it is, sorry and congratulations.
XXL – Ciautistico!- a Xiu Xiu collaboration worth owning, thank god since La Foret shattered my gaydar.
The Standard – Albatross- unheralded “piano’s gonna make you cry, bitch” band from Portland
Andrew Bird -?blah blah blah Eggs- it wore off but only after a good season of addiction.
Caribou – Milk of Human Kindness- does a body good.
DAN
SORRY, BUT TRY AS I MIGHT, I CAN ONLY COME UP WITH 5
RECORDS THAT I REALLY LIKED FROM ’05??.
CONSTANTINES – TOURNAMENT OF HEARTS
CROOKED FINGERS – DIGNITY & SHAME
RESPLENDENT – I AM FREE/AM I FREE?
SPOON – GIMME FICTION
THE JOHN WILKES BOOZE – TELESCOPIC EYES GLANCE THE FUTURE SICK
GAR
RAKES-“RAKES”
ANTONY & THE JOHNSON’S-“I AM A BIRD NOW”
SPOON-“GIMME FICTION”
ONEIDA-“WEDDING”
SHARON JONES & THE DAP KINGS-“NATURALLY”
FIERY FURNACES-“10 SONG EP”
FIERY FURNACES-“REHEARSING MY CHOIR”
HIGH ON FIRE- “OH BLESSED BLACK WINGS”
BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE-“BROKEN SOCIAL SCENE”
“CULT CARGO BELIZE CITY BOIL UP”
MESHUGGAH-“CATCH THIRTY THR33”
BOOKS-“LOST & SAFE”
PREFUSE 73-“READS THE BOOKS”
REISSUES
XRAY SPEX-“ANTHOLOGY”
101ERS-“ELGIN AVENUE BREAKDOWN: REVISITED”
CHRIS C:
1.ROBERT WYATT AND FRIENDS AT THE BLOOMSBURY THEATRE
2.ONEIDA-THE WEDDING
3.PAULA FRAZER-LEAVE THE SAD THINGS BEHIND
4.DAVID BOWIE-STAGE (REISSUE)
5.GANG GANG DANCE-GOD’S MONEY
6.101’ERS-ELGIN AVENUE BREAKDOWN
7.STOOGES-HEAVY LIQUID BOX SET
8.COMUS-SONG TO COMUS
9.KEVIN COYNE-A DAY IN CHICAGO
10.CHRIS CONNELLY-LOUNGE AX,BOTTLE,ELSEWHERE
STEVE
new stuff (in no particular order)
Lau Nau- Kuutarha
Magik Markers- I Trust My Guitar Etc.
Gang Gang Dance – God’s Money
Sunburned Hand of the Man- Wedlock
Sunn O)))- Black One
Espers- Weed Tree
Angels of Light- Sing Other People
Josephine Foster- Hazel Eyes, I Will Lead You
Earth- Hex: Or Printing in the Infernal Method
Smog- A River Ain’t Too Much To Love
Rova:: Orkestrova- Electric Ascension
Jennifer Gentle- Valende
Lightning Bolt- Hypermagic Mountain
Double Leopards- Out of One, Through One
Single of the year
Major Stars- Black Road 7″
Music related book
Can’t Stop, Won’t Stop By Jeff Chang
Reissues (In no particular order)
Vashti Bunyan- Just Another Diamond Day
Gary Higgins- Red Hash
VA- Cult Cargo:Belize City Boil UP
Henry Flynt- Purified By The Fire
Stooges- S/T
Stooges- Funhouse
Fern Jones- Glory Road
Bob Dylan- Bootleg Series Vol. 7
V/A- American Primitive Vol. 2
Sunn 0)))- Grimm Robe Demos
Evie Sands- Any Way That You Want Me
Matt B:
Eno and Cluster – Begegnungen I & II reissues
Flaming Lips – Fearless Freaks dir. by Bradley Beesley
Pigeon John – Sings the Blues
We Love Katamari
Ennio Morricone – Crime & Dissonance
Youth of the Beast (dir. by Seijun Suzuki)
The Mountain Goats – The Sunset Tree
Chocolate Watch Band – Melts in Your Brain…Not on Your Wrist: Complete Recordings 1965-1967
The Perceptionists – Black Dialogue
Prefuse 73 – Reads the Books
Nicolette:
Here’s my best of list, in the form of a top ten. Yeow!
- Animal Collective – Feels
- Boredoms – Seadrum/House of Sun
- Angels of Light/Akron Family – Angels of Light/Akron Family
- The Books – Lost and Safe
- Wolf Parade – Apologies To The Queen Mary
- Danger Doom – The Mouse and The Mask
- Four Tet – Everything Ecstatic
- Clap Your Hands Say Yeah – Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
- Lightning Bolt – Hypermagic Mountain
- Broken Social Scene – Broken Social Scene
Emily
Top 10 List in no particular order:
- Lil’ Wayne – Tha Carter Vol. 2
- Broadcast ? Tender Buttons
- Animal Collective – Feels
- Devendra Banhart ? Cripple Crow
- Dungen ? Ta Det Lung
- Haitian Voodoo ? Spirits of Life (Soul Jazz)
- Chrysler ? Failures and Sparks
- Diplo ? Florida (with bonus DVD)
- Pg. 99 ? Document #8
- Nola Exposed ? (DVD-NC-17)
CHARLES:
rock:
dungen: tad det lugnt
magic numbers
HAL
super furry animals: love kraft
Colosseum II: Strange New Flesh (reissue)
Nickel Creek: Why Should The Fire Die?
world/folk:
milton nascimento: pieta
john tams: the reckoning
reggae:
prince fari: silver and gold
trojan dub rarities box set
jazz:
john zorn: electric masada
aaron alexander: midrash mish mosh
nguyen le: walking on the tiger’s tail
metheny/coleman: song x reissue
jaga/jazzist; what we must
classical:
mcaslan: britten violin concerto
schermerhorn: villa-lobos complete bachianas brasileiras